A Servant's Dogma
by OftheWind
Summary: Ling comes to terms with how he recognizes RanFan as more than a servant; Greed nagging at his every thought. RanFan realizes her own feelings and wants to put an end to Greed dwelling in her Master's body.
1. Ling vs Greed

**A/N**: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. By the way, I'm going strictly by the manga. As you can tell these drabbles feature characters only seen in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. If you haven't read the manga, then this entire story is spoilers for you. Turn back now so as to not be spoiled. K thanks. =] By the way, each part goes by point of view [POV]

A Servant's Dogma

_I couldn't believe it then._

_I would have fallen into a pit of despair._

_But she…she has nothing short of true grace and beauty._

_As they'd say in this country… 'You're one hell of a woman.'_

_I have so many lives on my shoulders, but the one that matters the most is her._

_I want to make it to the top for her._

_Become the Emperor so I don't have to see her suffer._

_Why is it that I fight so hard?_

_Because I love her._

"What do you think you understand about love kid? Love's not gonna get you what you really want."

_To see her again…to see her in that stance with so much courage and beauty…_

"Don't get distracted boy. If you know what's good for you."

_I want her…_

"So you're gonna listen to Lust instead of me? Lust is dead and gone boy."

_Not like that you fool._

"Who do you think you're calling a fool? I'm the one who's got your body."

_I can take it back if its to be with her. The way she looks at me now, sometimes it hurts and sometimes it makes me love her more._

"Is that so? Why not work on that charm then?"

_It's not that simple. She'll just think its you and disregard what I say. Because it wouldn't be something I'd normally say.  
_

"If I get interested enough, I may let you get a shot. Money, women, power; I'll be the ruler of this world someday. And after that, if you want her, you can have her. But she'll be just one out of all the women."

_That's not right. That's not how I want it._

"Ain't that how it goes in your country when you're the bigshot?"

_In a sense yes...the Emperor sleeps with many women. I'm his 12th child._

"That's what I'm talking about..."

_I don't want all that. I just want to rule justly. Make a few changes while on the throne._

"We talked about this already."

_I don't care. I'm trying to get a point across. I want to rule! I want everything that the throne offers._

"Except the babes?"

_Maybe a long time ago I would quietly accept the women. But that was never my main concern. It was to rule justly._

"When you babble on about that stuff, you don't think I listen do you? I'm apart of you. I am you now."

_Yet you've been so surprised lately._

"You do have a knack for catching me off guard kid."

_I see.._

"You're interesting. Your body is interesting. Your soul is interesting. I already said I liked you kid, don't push it."

_So what Greed? You like my body better than the one you had before?_

"Hell yeah!"

_What about the memories? I can see them too now._

"Don't you even..."

_You're right. I won't tread on those waters._

"Better not."

_How long will we wait for our prey?_

"Until the time is right."

_What if...she comes?_

"Then protect your property at all costs."

_She's my comrade._

"She's your servant. As I recall a servant is a belonging."

_I don't want to think of her as such. She's much more precious to me than that._

"Here we go again."

_When will you ever start addressing by names?_

"Not to you, kid. Not to you."


	2. RanFan

Looking to her grandfather earnestly, she wondered what he would think of what she'd done to herself. To her body.

To her surprise, he was gazing with approval. That she'd taken a hopeless situation and sought out the technology of Amestris.

_How dare I think myself worthy when I couldn't even protect my Prince?_

But now, now she could do more than protect him. She could be his savior, just like she wanted to be.

_My Master…_

When she had no arm…when she lost her arm. She'd at first lost her will. Gazing to the side and into that mirror. Seeing that it was gone even though it felt like it was there sometimes.

It made her want to break down and cry day and night.

And then that boy, Ed, gave her hope.

An automail mechanic.

_I want to protect my Master at all costs. No matter what else may happen to me. I never want to be useless like that ever again. I want to show him that I am worthy._

In her mind, she wondered how Master felt about her. But in her eyes, she believed he just saw her as a comrade.

Back in their home country, there was not a thing she wouldn't have done had he not asked. Coming here to Amestris only increased those feelings.

Even if he'd asked for her in bed.

Her family might have felt a mixture of disgrace and overwhelming joy, but she could deal with that. As long as it was him, her Master.

Of course, she couldn't tell thoughts as private as these to her grandfather.

He was proud that she was a warrior like he, trained in the deadly arts to fend against anything and everything any opponent might bring. So that she could protect their clan's way to the throne at all costs.

A pang of sorrow arose within her.

If Master took the throne he'd have to perform the same duties as the previous Emperor.

Meaning lay with many woman to bear many heirs so that the cycle would start over again.

She didn't want that. She wanted him all to herself. The thought made her nauseous.

But it was a price to pay and one she'd be willing to sacrifice; her desires. He had to do what he had to do as the Emperor and that meant keeping traditions alive.

If Master didn't become the Emperor of Xing, that would be a different story.

She could have him all to herself possibly. She could help him out of his pits of despair.

She hoped.

It was quite the dream to become the Emperor and only one could do it while everyone else's dreams would be crushed.

She didn't want Master's dreams to be crushed either. Her dreams were crushed when she lost her arm in battle with the leader of Amestris.

With one arm, how could she be beautiful enough? How could she please him? Her Master. Any other woman could take him, she would have two arms for starters.

The automail changed her circumstances and she wanted to believe that it would make her stand out, make her shine.

But she couldn't tell with that monster inside of her Master.

He'd done it and found immortality, but at the cost of having that monster live inside of him. She swore that monster would give her looks every now and then and she'd be disgusted that it was even in his body.

How was Master taking it? How was he living with it? He obviously didn't have control over it since they switched interchangeably nonstop.

"Master…"

He was the only thing on her mind while she was training and biding her time. Getting her hopes, spirit, will, and skills back up to where they were before she lost her arm. No, she'd be even better.

_Would that impress you Master? Make you love me? Or would it only tempt that beast?_

This made things all the harder.

She wanted him, all of him, in so many ways. That beast was in the way.

She wanted it gone.

She'd do what she could to follow her Master as things progressed and she would find him and that monster in him. She'd get the chance to speak her mind first of all.

Thinking back into the past, she thought about the first time she'd met her Master.

***

_Fuu escorted his beloved granddaughter into the grandeur home of the 12th__ prince of Xing. Being the 12__th__, he was wealthier than his siblings who were all younger than he but not as great a status as the 11 who were older._

_Gazing around, RanFan reached to take her grandfather's hand, "Grandpa…where is this in the house?"_

_Their family was the direct servants of the Yao family__ for centuries. Everyone in their family lived to serve their prince. And he looked upon that with honor._

_As they approached the prince's chamber, Fuu looked down to RanFan, giving her hand a little squeeze, "Don't speak directly to the prince. Don't ask a single question."_

_RanFan nodded. Even as little as she was, she knew to listen to what her elders told her, especially her grandpa. She held his hand a little tighter._

_From what she knew, she and the prince weren't too far apart in age._

_So that meant he was a kid too._

_As they entered the Yao clan's royal chamber there was a tent in the middle of the room, luxurious things all around. In the tent, as it was closed, she saw his silhouette. That of the prince._

_Fuu began to bow and gave RanFan's hand a gentle squeeze to let her know she was supposed to do the same. He was glad when she complied._

_From behind the curtain, the small prince wanted to see just who was out there, knowing that it was the servants, but knowing that he was supposed to meet somebody new today._

_He reached, opening the glamorous yellow curtain and peering out timidly._

_There was Fuu who was holding the hand of a little girl._

_It was as he was staring at her from behind the royal curtain that she looked up mid bow and their eyes connected._

_He closed the curtain immediately, breathing a little heavier and blushing._

_The girl, to the prince, was so pretty. He had no idea as to how to talk to girls._

_And she was his servant? His to command over?_

_As they grew up and she continued to serve him, there was not a day that her beauty didn't strike him._

_After the Emperor went ill, he knew he couldn't find anything worthy of his father's attention in Xing. Looking at a map, the closest country was Amestris, on the other side of the desert._

_That's where he'd go, west.  
_

_He didn't want to bring an army with him. He just needed a small elite team. _

_And he knew exactly who to choose for the mission._

***

RanFan heaved. When she was chosen for this mission, she knew to be prepared with absolutely everything possible and to ready her mind for anything. Especially since none of them had ever been to Amestris before.

The rest of her family would have to see her for what she looked like now and they would have to accept that.

It was fine, as long as Master accepted it. It meant that he'd accepted her.

That monster was making her Master look away from her.

________________________________________________________________

**A/N: **I just wanna voice a little opinion. x3

I support Ed/Winry, Alphonse/Mei Chang, Roy/Riza, and Ling/RanFan. And I do say, out of all of those pairings, it's my personal belief that Ling/Ranfan would be the first pairing to admit they love one another and have intercourse. I actually think they have the most sexual tension between them already. [Not to say that he gets a kick out of her referring to him as Master 24/7.] I also support Trisha/Hoenheim and they had 2 kids already so they really won the pairing race from day 1 haha.

Intimate situations to come in future additions, so I rated it M for safe keeps.

This is my first time writing a drabble, I write stories usually so if it seems more like a story, sorry about that; I tried. =]


	3. Ling

He thought back to the fights with the homunculus after getting into this country. That shape shifting one turned into RanFan and he found that he couldn't attack it.

His will entirely stopped. He couldn't ever raise a blade against her.

Not with how he felt about her.

That was what that homunculus was talking about, muttering about how humans were so easy to trick. Meaning he had to have done a trick like that before.

He felt like he had to have been in the same shoes as that man the homunculus had done such a dirty trick to. Even though he didn't know a thing about who the man was. Perhaps the man was already dead. He surely would have been had it not been for the disturbance of the other homunculus coming their way, the fat one.

He'd turned his head against his enemy. A mistake that was critically fatal.

He shook his head as his mind reeled back.

The fact that it could change into RanFan like that not only caught him off guard, but terrified him. His mind couldn't distinguish the fact that a few moments beforehand, he was fighting a homunculus. No, it was focused on the fact that he was looking at RanFan and that her eyes beneath that mask were so pleading.

What were those eyes begging for?

There was a mixture of emotions. Sensuality, terror, curiosity amusement…

Or was that shape shifting homunculus just messing with his head?

Seeing how Greed's personality was, he'd put Ed's money on the fact that he was being played out back then by Envy.

His mind reeled ahead to their battle with the Fuhrer of Amestris.

*

_His heart, mind, and stomach couldn't take it when he heard the sickening thud of her arm falling to the ground after she severed it off herself. _

_The only way he could keep himself together was the fact that his mind still knew they were being chased by the leader of Amestris. And he couldn't even tell where the man was due to him feeling like a normal human._

_When they'd gone into the sewers after tying her arm to the back of a dog in order to throw off their trail, he looked into her pained eyes then._

_They were alone and he wanted to kiss her and tell her she was going to be alright, console her._

_Back in their own country, he wasn't really allowed to touch her; to make her his. Especially with being a prince. He had to remain untouched until he reached Emperor status. If he didn't become the Emperor, that'd be a different story._

_But he did want to become the Emperor and he came here seeking immortality for the Emperor to gain his favor._

_If he wasn't a prince, he could have her._

_Since he was, the only way he could have her was after he became Emperor._

_Being here in Amestris seemed to change things for them drastically. The road to finding immortality wasn't supposed to be an easy one either way._

_He wasn't as prepared as she was though; for this journey. _

_He was shaking both livid and scared. Angry that Bradley did what he did and scared for her life._

_His world would crash and fall without her._

_He'd reached both hands up, placing them on her cheeks, holding her face still as she heaved in agony. As much as he wanted to close the gap and place his lips against hers, he didn't. He rested his forehead against hers and said with a tone showing his internal hurt, "Please stay alive. I'm coming back for you."_

_Her eyes were so pleading, begging him to not go._

_But they both knew he had to catch a homunculus. It was their hope of being together._

_He started to close in, and as he let out a small breath on her lips, he pulled himself back, ripping off his jacket and using that to apply pressure to where there used to be an arm. He reached, taking her hand and placing it where he'd been pressing his jacket, "Keep the pressure on it and move from this spot. You have to get away from here."_

_She'd nodded, trying to get up from leaning against the sewer wall._

_He reached and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her away from the wall and towards him so that he was embracing her fully. Resting his chin in her hair, he felt so horrible that this happened to her. She didn't deserve this. She was following him and remaining loyal till the end just as she was born and raised to._

_He wanted to tell her that he loved her right then and there._

_He opened his mouth to tell her, but there were footsteps approaching. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "Get away from here now…I'll go catch that fat homunculus…"_

_She nodded into his chest and he had to let her go, they had to part ways._

_As he was going in the opposite direction she was, he wanted to turn back and take her with him. But it was impossible, "I'm so sorry..."  
_

_As he'd went ahead and caught Gluttony, lifting that fat blob into Riza Hawkeye's car, he jumped in and as they sped off, RanFan went through his mind all the while. There was no way he was leaving or forsaking her._

_When they'd drove to pick her up, the sight of her startled Riza and he rushed over and wrapped his arm around her to help her get into the car._

_When he'd sat outside of the room where Dr. Knox was operating, listening to her screams, he'd been shaking in fear, anger, and regret even as Edward came over to talk to him._

_Fatso had gone berserk less than an hour later, and his first priority was getting RanFan out of there, which he did._

_As much as he wanted to go with her, he had to put the mission first. Because it was for her benefit too._

_It was a closer step towards immortality._

_*  
_

Was the immortality worth it now? Now that he was a homunculus? Now that he was Greed?

Yes…it was.

RanFan's pain and suffering wasn't in vain.

After dealing with everything else in Amestris, they could go home.

But there was a main thing stopping him from doing that.

Greed.

Greed himself wanted to rule the world and didn't seem keen on wanting to go to another country and rule over just that. Greed wanted the world and everything in it.

That would become a problem later.

Would he have to die then? In order for that problem to be solved? Or would he completely gain control over the homunculus inside of him? It was either one of the two.

He was starting to gain more control than he had before since Greed was starting to lose it.

Greed might not admit it, but he did hold a certain amount of affections for those in his past. Even if he looked at them as mere belongings. He treated his belongings with care so they were in tip top shape. All the more to boast about.

Tilting his head back, having control over his body, he let himself fall into a short sleep.

His dreams became more mature than in the past.

Was it the fact that he had Greed in him that his dreams took a different direction? From affectionate to full blown lovemaking. Or was it something that he knew deep in his heart he wanted to share with the woman of his affections?

It was something to think about.

At first in his dreams, she had both of her arms. But after the horrific experience, he'd had nightmares of gore and bloodshed.

And then, knowing that she'd be okay, his dreams took a different turn.

He'd never had dreams of making love to her before coming to Amestris. Everything was sweet yet non sensual. He'd be combing her hair with his fingers, delivering soft kisses, they'd hold hands and support one another.

It was a sign that coming here did indeed change their relationship drastically.

His dreams now involved velvet sheets that seemed to move like calm waters with their movements, sounds that were uncouth to make outside of complete privacy; his mounting her and showing her his devotion and love.

He was still young, but didn't deny the fact that he knew about things.

Her face in his dreams was full of love and acceptance.

What felt good was that none of what they'd been doing in the dream was an order. She wanted it willingly.

She'd be his Queen, his everything.

He had to keep his fantasies to himself as best as he could, though that was kind of hard when Greed could know any thought he had at times.

_You're not in Xing anymore kid, go for it._

The fact that no one besides them would know wasn't really the point. He was trying to hold onto tradition even when outside his home country.

How did she really feel?

Would she care that it'd be a disgrace? He'd disappoint the Yao clan and her family. The only member of the Yao clan that he was supposed to be intimate with was the Yao clan's representative after he became Emperor. And he was supposed to continuously be intimate with that woman until a child was conceived. None of this took place until after being married.

Yes, that's right. He was supposed to have many wives.

RanFan had the potential to be the Yao clan's representative. But those chances were slim to none considering that her family was only meant to serve and protect him.

His own mother was the representative of the Yao clan for the current Emperor and his mother was most certainly not from any family whose purpose it was to protect the prince born from that union.

It'd be a clash of traditions for him to actually have her and make her his.

What if she didn't want that?

He'd never force it on her, no matter how badly he wanted it.

If they did become intimate, it wouldn't have been able to stay behind closed doors for too long either.

_If you want to get so technical, then keep it in your fantasies. Don't act it out._

Now he wanted to know…

_What happens in Amestris can stay in Amestris. Nobody said you had to wait till you got back to Xing to hit that._

Ignoring Greed's slang, he knew the homunculus was right about that. Even so…

Now he had to think. Why was Greed being so supportive? Was it the homunculus favored him that much or did Greed just want to take over his body and do the actual lovemaking?

That was something he wasn't going to stand for.

_I told you kid, if you wanted it, I'd let you have it. Admit that she hates my guts._

"She completely hates you."

_Now think about how she's gotta feel about you._

"What about what you were talking about before? That love is a waste and lust is dead and gone?"

Noticing Greed's silence, he knew that the homunculus was in contemplation.

"Is it that you favor me that much? You'll step aside?"

_You want what you want, I want what I want. What we both want isn't so different._

He didn't think he'd want to know what that really meant.

Blushing a bit, he realized that RanFan would be his first with everything.

_Tsk tsk tsk. An amateur._

He'd never kissed a girl, he'd held a girl before. And that was RanFan nonetheless. He'd cradled her in his arms as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. It was unfortunate that he did that at the time she'd lost her arm; that he hadn't done that before tragedy struck. She'd have clearly known where he stood.

He sure enough was a virgin. He'd never even touched himself. Which was why it was confusing that his dreams were so vivid and precise.

_It's cause you know what you want._

How could he have known such details of her anatomy and he hadn't ever seen her without clothing on?

Coming out of his rest, he figured he'd take a stroll in the night.

He'd try to find her, not knowing that she wanted to find him.

______________________________________________________________________________________

**A/N:** FMA Chapter 100 is out! WOOO!! Lets make a toast! But good Lord that chapter almost made me cry! And it takes a lot to make me cry!

After reading it, I must make alterations to this story and get more in depth than I already have. To see Ling so broken, even for a moment, really made me want to cry. I already made the next chapter of this and its undergoing editing, but I think I'll make the next chapter a much later chapter and add more in between. Sorry kiddos, more flashbacks of the 'back in Xing' days.

Even if you don't like flashbacks...suck it up cause they'll be a memento to Fuu.

R.I.P Fuu, you were a loved character!

And the sewer scene, can't you see that actually happening? They escape, she loses her arm, and he's devastated yet at the same time admiring her courage and will, knowing how much he loves her and doesn't want to see her hurt. Internally torn at the fact that he believes it to be his own fault. They never showed what happened between them, just that we see RanFan holding his jacket to the bloody stub and Ling pops out of nowhere to catch Gluttony.

A lot of the more current scenes in this fic will take place sometime when we don't see either of them and the plot focuses back on Ed or Al or someone else. Just keep that in mind in case any future scenes and when they take place get confusing. I'm doing this warning cause I confused myself haha.


	4. The Past: Pat 1

**RanFan's POV**

As I sat alone in my room, the only thing I could think about was the past. It was the past that would reflect what the future would bring me.

And as far as I know of, in the past, my young Prince had shown no signs of loving me. He's done all he has to show he cares about me very much. I won't deny that. He sees me as more than just a servant. I am his best friend.

Knowing what's happened in my past, I know for a fact that things can drastically change without you even thinking about it. I remembered thinking just for a second, when I lost my arm, that I could see something deep in his eyes. He was angry without a doubt but there was also fear. I was in too much pain to try and recognize anything else.

The way he held me at the time also made me think. He held me like that because he was worried for my life. If only he would hold me like that again. If he'd always hold me like that, even when I don't ask for it, I'd be a very happy person.

Not that I'm not happy. I'm used to always being disappointed in myself when things don't go smoothly.

Because someone's life is always in my hands.

My disappointment reached its peak when my grandfather slapped me. It was out of the disbelief that I'd lost my arm protecting my master. Even though the Elric brothers offered that of an automail mechanic, we sought out our own.

I am currently living with my mechanic, since all of the modifications are not ready yet.

And all I can do is think about the past and how I've gotten to this point.

I mine as well start from the very beginning.

***

_Xing 10 years ago…_

After bowing to the boy she was meeting for the first time, she stayed quiet as her grandfather said all that he wanted to. Then they were to go home.

For the safety of the Prince, their home was not too far away from the large royal house. She'd never seen so many bright colors in one house before. It was intriguing and reminded her of a word she only heard other kids talk about, fun.

She didn't go out to play with other kids. She was always training. Doing some kind of training. For now, the training was very light. She was an intelligent little girl, reading, writing, and training in poison immunities.

Meeting the Prince, her Master, for the very first time, she couldn't help but wonder so much about him. It was just him and his mother in that large house, besides all their servants who were her family members.

Her family consisted of her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and a few cousins. They weren't many children in the family. Though she would overhear her parents talking sometimes about how they wanted her to have a younger sibling but for some reason it never happened. She was an only child, just like the prince.

She wondered at the back of her young mind of when she would see him again. She'd have to protect him as soon as she was old enough to. She wasn't the only one either. Her whole family was dedicated and serving the main Yao family. Her other relatives made up most of the servants of the Yao home. Due to an injury, her father couldn't serve as a bodyguard anymore, now he was a chef. Her mother didn't have what it took to become a bodyguard, so she cleaned the Yao house.

Their family literally serviced the Yao clan in any way they possibly could. Martial arts was the main pride of their family. Everyone knew of it and to some extent practiced it, and the ultimate goal was to be the bodyguard to the Yao clan's heir. It was a great honor.

It was pre-decided and predestined that the child of Lang and Jun would become the bodyguard of the next heir of the Yao clan.

To the delight of the Yao clan's representative, 7 months after she married the emperor for her clan, she had a son.

Lang and Jun, only a few months later, had a daughter.

Fu was the greatest of the bodyguards for the Yao's representative and then for the mother and child. He trained the rest of the bodyguards but none of them had the same potential than his son Lang used to have before his accident. And then RanFan was born and he was so excited to have both a granddaughter and apprentice of his very own.

She was to begin the most basic of training at the age of 5. She wouldn't get to actual combat until she was ready for it. From Fu watching and teaching her so far, he marveled at her intelligence and wit. She was her father's daughter. He figured she might start combat by the time she was 8 years old, 7 at the earliest possibly.

He thought it was best that she get the incentive to become a bodyguard early and an essential part of that was to meet the person who she was to protect, who he was already protecting.

Something about the moment they looked at one another made Fu think that things were going to go quite smoothly. They were going to get along and that made protecting the Prince a much easier task.

_Youngsters._ He smiled to himself thinking about it.

*

"Hello there."

"H-hi."

It'd been two years since the first time they'd met. And now Ling and RanFan were meeting for the second time in their lives. At 7 years old, RanFan had a bit of combat training, but enough to protect the young Master from most of the threats he would face as a 7 going on 8 year old boy in Xing.

Ling didn't like the fact that his mother kept him inside the house a lot, but the fact that he finally got to see his bodyguard RanFan again made him happy. And since they'd gotten older, she was even prettier than the first time he'd seen her.

Fu had escorted RanFan and gave her the task of watching over him today while he escorted Ling's mother to her affairs.

Ling looked her up and down and frowned at the fact that after meeting again, she really didn't say anything. She just stood there, like she was waiting for something to happen so she could start protecting him, "Hey."

She didn't turn around, nor spoke a word.

Ling tried again, "Hey, turn around and face me."

RanFan, taking it as a direct order, turned around and looked at the prince, looking him over quickly before setting her eyes to his, "Yes Master?" She was told to never address him by name and address him properly at all times.

He quirked a brow, "Let's go outside and play."

She widened her eyes and blushed a little, "P-play? B-but I'm not supposed to."

Ling's frown turned upside down quickly, "I'm in here a lot so I don't have any friends. Will you be my friend?"

She knew he was inside for his protection. There were people who wanted him dead already, "I don't think I'm supposed to."

Ling chuckled, "I think it'd be okay if you're my friend."

"O-okay." She didn't have any friends either and even though he was her Master, it should have been okay to be his friend, "But you can't go outside."

"Why not?"

"Because the grown ups said so."

Ling pouted, "But I have you with me so it should be okay." She looked like she was going to protest again so the only way to actually get her to do it was to tell her what to do. He really didn't like doing that to his friend already, but he really wanted to be out of the house, even once.

"I don't think we should."

"You're protecting me." He beamed with joy and got up from his spot, reaching and taking her hand and dragging her with him. They just had to lose all the adults and then they could go outside and play.

She blushed as she held the prince's hand, letting him guide her through the house he already knew so well. It was rather easy for them to slip by all the adults, and to get to the outdoors. Once they were outside, she knew she had to stay on alert.

Ling smiled happily, letting go of RanFan's hand and turning around, "Let's play a game!"

She blushed due to her shyness and nodded silently.

Ling looked around. There had to be something. As he looked at the plant life surrounding them, he grinned, "I know about a game called hide and seek. I go off and hide and you try to find me."

"That sounds like a bad game Master."

"It'll be fun! You just turn around and count to 10."

Something on the inside told her it was a bad idea, but she complied anyway. When she turned around, she noticed that Ling was gone in a flash. Instantly panic stepped in and she dashed around trying to find him. When she didn't find him in any of the bushes, she ran back into the house, truly panicking on the inside. She'd lost him. He couldn't have even been far! Considering she only counted to 10.

Running around, ignoring anyone who might get in her way, she searched and searched. Every spot he could hide in the house, back out in all the bushes and gardens.

After a while she gave up, sitting in the spot where she first counted and started to cry, wailing at the fact that she'd lost the prince that she was supposed to protect and thinking about how much trouble she'd get into now that he was missing. She knew playing hide and seek was a bad idea.

It wasn't too long later that a hand was on her head and she looked up to see Ling patting her head and frowning, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"W-where?" she sniffled, "Where were you hiding Master?"

He pointed, "Up in that tree over there. I can see a lot of the land from there. Come up there with me."

She stopped crying, and wiped her eyes, then deciding to follow him.

They climbed up the tree effortlessly and sat on a sturdy branch next to one another, looking out at the view.

RanFan blushed, her breath was taken away at the sight. It was the beauty of Xing all in one phenomenal landscape.

Ling smiled, reaching and taking RanFan's hand, "One day all of this will be mine."

She looked over at him and there was something in his eyes. Courage, strength, determination. And then he turned and looked at her with that smile of his and his eyes changed to something else.

_Mother says that I'll be the Emperor one day and get to have a beautiful bride. Maybe RanFan can be my beautiful bride someday._

After they'd gotten their share of fresh air and tranquility, they climbed down. It was as they were headed back towards the house that something crept up on them from behind and fast.

RanFan spun around and threw her arms out, standing in front of her prince to shield him, looking down to see a snake ready to strike.

Ling looked over RanFan and raised a brow, then cringed, "I don't like snakes."

This was her moment. She'd protect her prince even it if meant she'd get bitten and poisoned by this snake. She moved slowly, reaching for some rocks to throw at it since she was much too young to wield a weapon.

Ling saw that it was about to bite RanFan and at the last minute, he pushed her over and out the way, cringing in pain as its fangs latched to his ankle.

Falling over, RanFan scrambled up and saw the snake biting the boy she was supposed to protect and with that, she charged over with the rocks and pelted them at its head. It didn't want to let go until she reached and grabbed it with one hand, slamming the rocks onto its thin frame.

Ling stared in awe for a moment, then the pain registered.

When the snake was silenced, it was then that the adults ran out to check the grounds for the prince once they realized he wasn't to be found in the house. The sight that met them was unpleasant and upsetting.

RanFan was sent home to be punished for disobeying her elders.

Ling was poisoned by the snake, though his mother ordered for top notch renkanjutsu users to be found to take care of her son.

It was shortly discovered that a spy from the Hachi clan sent the snake out with the purpose of killing one of royalty of the Yao clan. The spy was found on the grounds shortly after Ling was escorted inside.

Though she was scolded, RanFan was halfway pleased with herself. She'd gotten rid of the snake all by herself in order to stop it from doing any more harm to her prince. Next time, she'd be more prepared for danger, no matter what it may have been.

Thus, RanFan fully accepted her responsibility and duty to her Prince.

Ling thought his bodyguard as brave as she was pretty and a worthy future wife.


End file.
